Baptisia plant named ‘Pink Truffles’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct plant cultivar of hardy herbaceous False Indigo named  Baptisia  ‘Pink Truffles’ characterized by pinkish lavender flowers with exposed yellow keel petals on tall branched spikes just above the foliage in late spring, on upright, vase-shaped, multi-stemmed, winter-hardy plants with medium-green tri-foliate foliage, suitable for landscaping as a specimen or en masse.

Botanical classification: Baptisia hybrid.

Cultivar designation: ‘Pink Truffles’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of hybridBaptisia plant, botanically known as Baptisia ‘Pink Truffles’ and willbe referred to hereafter by its cultivar name, ‘Pink Truffles’. The newcultivar represents a new false indigo, a hardy herbaceous perennialgrown for landscape and cut flower use.

The new invention arose from an ongoing breeding program at a nursery inWaseca, Minn. and continued at a wholesale perennial nursery in Zeeland,Mich. with the specific intention of improving garden worthiness ofperennial False Indigo plants with a wider variety of flower colors andimproved garden habit.

Baptisia ‘Pink Truffles’ was a selection of a proprietary hybrid giventhe breeder code name of ‘Red Riding Hood’ (not patented) and the maleor pollen parent was an unknown Baptisia from an open pollinatedisolation block selection consisting of proprietary complex hybrids.Also in the isolation block were advanced hybrids of Baptisia minor,sphaerocarpa, alba, and cinerea.

Seeds were collected from ‘Red Riding Hood’ individual selected femaleplants in fall of 2009 at the isolation block in Waseca, Minn., USA bythe inventor. The exact identity of the male parent is not known but itwas from proprietary unreleased and non-patented hybrid plants. Theseeds were sown by the inventor in Zeeland, Mich., USA in the Fall of2009 with the initial selection made in the spring of 2012 at awholesale perennial nursery in Zeeland, Mich. The single seedlingselected from the seed parent was assigned the breeder code of H9-51-01.Asexual propagation by cuttings was initially propagated in spring 2012.Sterile plant tissue culture can also be used for asexual propagation.The results of asexual propagation are that the new plant is stable andretains its true characteristics though successive generations ofasexual propagation. Propagation method for asexually reproducing plantsis primarily stem cuttings.

The nearest comparison plant is a proprietary unreleased hybrid assignedthe breeder name of ‘Penny's Tall Pink’. The new plant has a taller,more upright vase habit with thicker stiffer stems and clearer pinkishlavender flower compared to the rounded, shorter habit and moregray-brown tinted flowers. Another proprietary plant named just “pinkminor” has a very rounded habit with lighter pink flowers on fewer stemswith less coverage. These are the nearest comparison plants known to theinventor and Baptisia ‘Pink Truffles’ is distinct from these and allother Baptisia plants known to the inventor.

The new plant differs from all Baptisia known to the inventor in thefollowing combined traits:

-   -   1. Pinkish lavender flowers with exposed yellow keel petals on        tall branched spikes just above the foliage in late spring.    -   2. Upright, vase-shaped, multi-stemmed, winter-hardy habit.    -   3. Glaucous, medium-green, tri-foliate foliage.

BREF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The photographs of the new plant demonstrate the unique traits of thenew plant and the overall appearance. The colors are as accurate asreasonably possible with color reproductions. Variation in ambient lightspectrum, source and direction may cause the appearance of minorvariation in color. The accompanying photograph is of a three-year oldplant growing in an open full-sun trial garden in Zeeland, Mich.

FIG. 1 shows a close-up of the flower scape.

FIG. 2 shows the habit of a plant in full flower.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION OF THE PLANT

The following is a detailed description of 3 year-old plants of the newcultivar as grown outdoors in a trial plot at a wholesale nursery inZeeland, Mich. Plants of the new cultivar have not been tested under allpossible conditions. The phenotype may vary with changes in environment,climate, and cultural conditions without change however in the genotype.The color reference is in accordance with the 2001 edition of The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart except where general color dictionaryterms are used.

-   Plant habit: Perennial, compact, well-branched, many-stemmed,    vase-shaped growth habit with long inflorescences held above the    foliage.-   Plant size: About 100 cm tall from soil to top of flowers and 95 cm    wide just below initial flowers;-   Roots: Fibrous, well-branched, long, deeply rooted.-   Root color: Nearest RHS 161D.-   Growth and propagation:    -   -   Propagation method.—Stem cuttings, rooting in about three            weeks; also can be propagated successfully by sterile plant            tissue culture.        -   Growth rate.—Moderately, similar to other Baptisia.-   Stems: Rigid and upright; highly glaucous; glabrous; cylindrical    with longitudinal furrows; lower two to three nodes without leaves    or branches; normally 20 to 25 stems per plant; main stem about 11.0    mm diameter at base and 100 cm tall to top of inflorescence, average    about 90 cm tall and 10 mm diameter; normally about four    alternately-arranged primary branches at 55 to 65 degree angle above    horizontal, up to 35.0 cm long and 7.0 mm diameter, average for    primary branches about 20.0 cm cm long and 6.0 mm diameter, smaller    distally; and three alternately-arranged secondary branches per stem    of about 18 cm long and 4.0 mm diameter, averaging about 16.0 cm    long and 3.4mm diameter ; normally four alternately-arranged    tertiary branches up to 16.0 cm long and 3.0 mm diameter, average    about 10.0 cm long and 2.0 mm diameter.-   Stem color: Base nearest RHS N138A without glaucous bloom and    slightly more green than RHS 122D with glaucous bloom.-   Stem scales: At stem nodes; slightly glaucous; dehiscing to leave    behind thin scar; about 4.4 cm long and 18 mm wide at base and 23 mm    wide in center; frequently with apical three leaflets about 4.0 mm    long and 2.0 mm wide in center of retuse apex with sharply pointed    sides; truncate base.-   Stem scale color: Between RHS 138C and RHS 138B before dehiscing and    nearest RHS N200A after dehiscing.-   Internodes: Up to 13.0 cm apart between lowest branches, average    about 8.0 cm.-   Foliage: Alternate on stem; ternate to palmately compound with three    leaflets; outer two leaflets at about 40 to 50 degree angle to    middle leaflet; up to 5.0 cm long and 10.0 cm wide, average 3.8 cm    long and 4.0 cm wide.-   Leaflet: Three, oblanceolate; apex obtuse to rounded, base    attenuate; margins entire; petiolate; top surface matte, scaberulose    below; size up to 5.0 cm long and 2.1 cm wide, average about 3.8 cm    long and 1.8 cm wide.-   Leaflet color: Newly expanding between RHS N 144C and RHS 144B on    upper and lower surfaces; mature upper and lower surface between RHS    139B and RHS N138B.-   Venation: Pinnate, glabrous, thin, not conspicuous.-   Vein color: Newly expanding foliage main center vein nearest RHS    N144D above and nearest RHS 145D below; main center vein nearest RHS    139D above and lighter than RHS 142D or RHS 145D below; secondary    veins same color as surrounding leaf tissue.-   Petioles: Glabrous; slightly glaucous; concaved facing upward; up to    about 1.2 cm long and 2.0 mm wide average 1.0 cm long and 1.5 mm    wide.-   Petiole color: Nearest 138A on upper and lower surfaces.-   Stipules: Lanceolate, acute apex with base truncate to stem; up to    2.5 cm long and 12 mm wide, average 2.0 cm long and 10.0 mm wide    with largest stipules below primary branches and decreasing distally    and on secondary branches.-   Stipule color: Nearest RHS 138A both surfaces.-   Flower: Zygomorphic, papilionaceous, non-secund, held at about 40    degree angle above horizontal; beginning about 45 cm above soil; up    to about 54 flowers per main raceme and about 34 per secondary    branch; seasonally effective for about 3 to 4 weeks beginning in    late May to early June in Zeeland, Mich. with about 36 flowers and    18 buds showing color during peak; individual flower remain    effective and on raceme for about four days; individually about 2.4    cm long, 1.8 cm tall and 1.4 cm wide at tallest and widest portions;    an upper banner, a lower keel made up of two lobes folded around    gynoecium and androecium; and two lateral wings or alae laterally    appressed against keel.-   Flower fragrance: None detected.-   Peduncle: Rounded with vertical ridges and furrows; glaucous;    glabrous; from first flower to apex about 32 cm long; diameter at    the base of first flower about 8.0 mm and about 2 mm diameter at the    apex.-   Peduncle color: Between RHS N138A and RHS 122A from glaucous    covering; with tinting of nearest RHS N187A in upper portions, where    exposed to higher light levels.-   Pedicel: Round in cross section, glabrous, slightly glaucous; about    10.0 mm long and 1.0 mm diameter.-   Pedicel color: Nearest RHS 146C with tinting of nearest RHS N187B in    upper portions or where exposed to more light.-   Calyx: Campanulate, five-lobed with top lobe only dissected about    1.0 mm and other lobes dissected about 3.0 mm deep, or four lobed    with top lobe completely fused; compressed along petals; apex    obtuse, base fused in basal two thirds; margins entire; slightly    glaucous; about 9.0 mm long and 5.0 mm diameter; persists after    petal drop.-   Calyx color: Abaxial nearest RHS 138A with glaucous coating giving    it a color of between RHS 122 B and RHS N138C; adaxial nearest RHS    144A.-   Buds one day prior to anthesis: Oblong elliptic, flatted vertically;    about 2.0 cm long and 11.0 mm tall and 6.0 mm wide.-   Bud color: Three to four days prior to opening exposed banner petal    margin between RHS 70A and RHS 70B, base of exposed banner petal    lightening to between RHS 76D and RHS 77D exposed keel petal nearest    RHS 10D and alae petals enclosed in banner petal; one day prior to    opening exposed keel petal sides between RHS 76C and RHS 76D with    darker veining nearest RHS N77D, dosal center spot of nearest RHS    N77C with undertones of nearest RHS 200C, lighter lateral spot of    nearest RHS 150D, exposed alae petals between RHS 70B and RHS 76A    and exposed keel petal between RHS 11D and RHS 10D.-   Petals: Five; with a lower fused keel, an upper banner, and two    lateral wings or alae; keel comprised of two sections that are    folded around stamens and pistil.    -   -   Banner petal.—Conduplicate, curved upward and backward and            pinched in the middle; apex retuse, base claw-like, margin            entire; about 1.8 cm long, 1.6 cm across at widest and 7.5            mm tall; young banner dorsal side color nearest RHS 75A at            perimeter 1.0 mm margin with the inner center portion            nearest RHS 76C with faint veining of nearest RHS 77B,            center rib nearest RHS 150C with to darker blotches of about            4.0 mm on either side of the rib in center of petal of            nearest RHS N77C; young ventral side apex RHS N77D            lightening to between RHS 76C and RHS 76D with faint veining            of nearest RHS N77C, base claw nearest RHS 145A with the            middle of petal heavily speckled with tiny dots nearest RHS            N77A and a light yellow section on middle perimeter of            nearest RHS 11C; older banner petal shifting to closer to            RHS N87D along center and margins of abaxial and adaxial            surfaces with claw portion remaining unchanged.        -   Keel.—Comprised of two main lobes that are folded around            stamens and pistil; fused in the distal one-third with the            apex emarginate or retuse and the bases separate and            claw-like; margin entire; top edge about one-third of the            way from base has 2.0 mm smaller lobe pointing toward base;            about 20 mm long 0.5 cm across and 9.0 mm tall with claw            base narrowed to 1.0 mm wide for the proximal 5.0 mm; color            of young and older outer keel sides between RHS 150D and RHS            1D with apex nearest RHS 2D on younger flower and RHS 3C on            older flower with slight tinting of nearest RHS 163B; inner            color same as outer color except main vein of older and            younger flowers between RHS 145A and RHS 145B.        -   Alae.—Papilionaceous corolla appendage with rounded apex and            claw-like base; with 2.0 mm lobe pointing toward base and            about one-third of the way from base; about 21 mm long and            8.0 mm tall with the claw narrowed to 2.0 mm deep for the            distal 5.0 mm; alae outside color nearest RHS 11D; color of            lobe nearest RHS 11D on inside and outside of older and            younger flowers, claw color nearest RHS 145C on inside and            outside of older and younger flowers; blade color of younger            flower nearest RHS N77B on upper half and lightening to            lighter than RHS N80D in lower half of abaxial surface, and            adaxial surface nearest RHS 77D on both upper and lower            portions; blade color of older flower nearest RHS 85A on            both abaxial and adaxial surfaces in upper and lower            portions.-   Receptacle: Disk-shaped, about 3.3 mm diameter and 1.2 mm depth;    color nearest RHS 138A with tinting of RHS N187B.-   Gynoecium: One, with superior ovary.    -   -   Pistil.—About 22.0 mm long and 1.5 mm wide.        -   Style.—Curved at tip, about 8.0 mm long and less than 1.0 mm            diameter; color nearest RHS 145C.        -   Stigma.—Less than 0.5 mm diameter; color nearest RHS 145D.        -   Ovary.—Superior suspended by stipe; about 8 mm long and            about 1.5 mm in diameter; color nearest RHS 144A.        -   Stipe.—About 7.0 mm long and 1.0 mm diameter; color nearest            RHS 144B.-   Androecium:    -   -   Stamens.—Ten, not united, about 20.0 mm long and 1.0 mm            diameter.        -   Filament.—1.9 cm in length and less than 1 mm in diameter;            slightly curved upward at tip; filament color between RHS            145D toward base and RHS 145C at distal region.        -   Anther.—Dorsifixed, oblong; about 2.0 mm long and 0.8 mm            wide; color nearest RHS 15A. Pollen; spherical; abundant;            color nearest RHS 15A.-   Fruit and seeds: Have not yet been observed.-   Hardiness: To USDA zones 4 to 8; heavy clay or light loamy sand    soils; able to withstand drought conditions once established.-   Diseases: Susceptibility or resistance to diseases beyond that    typically found in other False Indigo plants has not been observed.

I claim:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of hardy herbaceous False Indigoplant named Baptisia ‘Pink Truffles’ as herein described andillustrated.